Page 65 of Charger

“I’m sorry.” She tucks a fallen strand of hair behind her ear. “For just… more bullshit. I guess, ugh, I don’t know. Everything is just too much.” If she cries, I swear on my life…

“Let’s go sit down.” I guide her to the sofa, sit her down, and go grab a bag of green beans from her freezer. I gently place it on her hand.

“I punch people now, apparently, so that’s cool.”

I smirk. “You know, green beans are gross. I also remember when you did this for me in your bedroom, except it wasn’t with frozen vegetables.”

She laughs, which makes my damn heart beat faster. “Your daughter hates them too.”

“Well, she’s smart.”

“She asks about him all the time you know. About Garrett. It breaks my heart.”

I force a smile. “He would have been a great uncle.” Fuck, there they are, the tears. “Come here.” Setting the bag down, I tug her closer. I then scoot her to my chest, wrap my arms around her, and hold on for dear life.

“It doesn’t ever get easier, does it?”

“I don’t think so, babe, but we do get stronger. We learn to live with the pain and how to cope.”

“Want to know why I called my bar the Fallen Star?” Her voice comes out as a muffle against my chest.

“I might have an idea.”

She pulls away from me. “My star, the one you held so high for me, was anything but hanging in the sky anymore. My spirit was broken, losing both of you. So, it felt right, calling it that.” It tears me up inside, knowing I was part of the reason. I’ll never fully be able to forgive myself.

My phone vibrates in my pocket. “Fuck, sorry.” I check it and it’s a text from Chain. “Shit, I have to go. I’m sorry, Jules.”

“No, it’s fine. I have to get ready for work anyway.”

“Maybe I’ll swing by tonight?”

She smiles, then I’m out the door and onto my bike within five minutes. When Chain sends a “be here asap” text, you better be there asap.

I make my way inside the club and head upstairs, because I already know Church is taking place. The smell of smoke fills my nostrils as soon as the door opens. Everyone looks at me. Chain gives me a silent “we need to talk” look.

“Your girl is sleeping with the enemy.” It wasn’t a question; Chain makes that clear.

“Was sleeping with the enemy.” Saying that out loud makes me twitch. “She’s not anymore. There’s a difference.”

Bullet clears his throat next to me. “If I might add, how do we know she wasn’t hired as a rat, feeding their club shit about us? You never know… They might want to take us out.”

I crack my neck, giving him one mean-ass glare. “Wanna say that to me again, fucker?”

Bullet jumps from his chair and I do the same.

“Hey! Sit the fuck down, Jesus Christ.” Chain growls from the head of the table. Bullet and I have our stare down, my fists ready to pop him in that smug face of his. “Now!” Chain slams his fist down on the table and it shakes the whole damn thing.

I do as I am told, like a good little boy, but I do it in a pissed off manner. “May I add something.” I give Bullet a once over. Then turn back to Chain. “In case you dumb fucks forgot, I just recently reconnected with Jules. Therefore, she didn’t know who I was or that I’m involved with a motorcycle club. But if she did, she still wouldn’t have been a rat, as you called her, which by the fucking way, no one is to talk about her like that again.”

Bullet surrenders with a hand raised and Chain comments, “Yeah, yeah. We get it. No one was trying to offend your Ol’ Lady here, just trying to get to the bottom of shit.” Chain said Ol’ Lady like it was decided. “All right, so Scorpion and his clan of snakes want us to meet up tomorrow night to do some GTA’ing with them. Sounds like a blast, but I’ll be honest, I’d rather be home fucking my Ol’ Lady. So, I’ll take a pass.” Sarcasm drips from his lips. It’s never a dull moment. “I do want two men there, in hiding, to stake out the place. Get some info on what exactly it is they’re doing, because I have a feeling it’s not your plain old Gone in 60 Seconds shit.” He lights a cigar. “Hush and Charger, you’re on it.”

“Can’t, boss. I got the pit tomorrow night.”

He grumbles. “Okay then, Tank, Hush, and Bullet.” Hush does a silent head nod from the back. “And Tank, you keep that hotheaded shit at bay, got me?”

“Who, me?” Tank laughs, waiting for people to join in but no one follows suit. What Chain really means is no going ape shit and tearing up the meeting. When it comes to Tank, well, dude’s got a short fuse just waiting to blow. His laughter disappears. “Yeah, got it.”

When Church is over, I change and head to the gym to get a quick workout in before riding over to see Jules at the bar.

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